MS Dhoni enjoys the kind of mass following that no other cricketer currently enjoy. He has long retired from international cricket and has also stepped down from Chennai Super Kings captaincy. Still, the mere vision of MS Dhoni coming out to bat can see the decibel in a stadium hit the roof. The same was the case when CSK faced Kolkata Knight Riders in an IPL 2024 match in Chennai on Monday. As MS Dhoni came out to bat with his team needing only three runs to win, the Chepauk crowd made so much noise that KKR’s Andre Russell had to cover his ears.
After the match, an old video of MS Dhoni’s wife Sakshi is going viral. In the video, Sakshi is seen talking about MS Dhoni’s sudden Test retirement in 2014 and also what it’s like to be the World Cup-winning captain’s partner.
“When he stepped down from Test cricket, we always had a hint that he is going to step down. I even remember telling him, ‘If you want a child you should step down from at least one format because you won’t have time to enjoy with your child’,” Sakshi Dhoni tells in the video.
“Even when Ziva happened, everyone in the hospital was like ‘ooh your husband is not coming!’ I said ‘it doesn’t matter’. Cricket is his priority and he is my priority. So, whatever is his priority is my priority. People tell me I had to sacrifice so much being his wife. I say, ‘NO, nothing it’s all love’. When you are in, you cannot call it sacrifice.”
Not just Chennai, the entire India loves MS Dhoni. But, the fan following the former captain has at Chepauk, the home of his Indian Premier League franchise, Chennai Super Kings, is unparalleled. Over the years, Dhoni has made Chennai his second home. Even at the age of 42, whenever Dhoni comes out to bat, the noise the fans make remains deafening. In fact, sometimes the fans in Chennai cheer the dismissal of their own team’s batters, if Dhoni is to come out to bat next.
Dhoni, who has been batting at No. 7 and No. 8 positions this season, promoted himself up to No. 5 spot against Kolkata Knight Riders, as the game was already won. With Ruturaj Gaikwad staying unbeaten on 67, Dhoni scored 1 run from three balls as CSK secured a 7-wicket win against KKR.
But, CSK players aren’t only having fun on the field but the dugout too. Righ after Shivam Dube’s dismissal, it was all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja who first marched out of the dugout to bat. But, that was only to tease the home fans. Jadeja then quickly returned to the bench, paving the way for Dhoni to march onto the field.
Later, a separate video showed that it was Dhoni who orchestrated the move.
